Busy Day

Some days there are so many things happening it is hard to know where to start.  Some times these are the days when nothing really seems to get done at all.

Yesterday two exciting things happened – firstly a job The Dazzler is working on, with his business DH Joinery may feature on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.  Understandably we are overly excited about this, as although we realise that we probably wont feature, their should be some recognition of his work and we are hopeful this might lead on to more work of this kind.  Failing that we are just very excited for our friends whose tiny space it is.

The announcement that this may be happening sent me into a tizz.  Yet more marketing, websites, twitter, blog and facebooking to do.  More ideas, communicating and record keeping.  Don’t get me wrong, I really love it all, but I was just finding my feet with Typical Type and now I have to do it all again for our ‘real’ business!  I’m looking forward to sharing our progress with you and hopefully you may even be able to see the results on the television one day!

The second exciting thing that happened was we decided to offer individual letters for hire too.  After I said ‘no, no, no’.  I eventually said ‘Yes’ and then my mind went a bit blank.

That’s why I’m now off to paint a letter C and E. At 8.30pm on a Tuesday night.  The joy of being self employed.

Mxc

Leighton Moss RSPB

One day at the beginning of the year we suddenly discovered there is a Waitrose in Preston.  We were impressed, and maybe a little in awe.  Eager to enter this all hallowed ‘shop for posh Southerners’ we were in a rush to get in.  I admit, we were easy targets for the RSPB sales lady,  stood in the lobby.  Yes, of course we will give you £5 per month, no, we hadn’t visited the local bird reserve before, no, we don’t know our blue tits from our great tits, well not the bird variety – now LET ME IN…

Anyway, fast forward 9 months and we have just had our second trip there.  It recently featured on BBC, as the home for their ‘Autumn Watch’ and inspired by the recording of the ‘Murmuration’ we decided it would be something spectacular to see.  The staff at the reserve are very lovely and welcoming.  The birds are plentiful.  The cake in the cafe is generous.  Some of the regular ‘twitchers’ are just rude.  Yes, my children were a little noisy and excited.  I apologise that they asked questions whilst we were in the hide. But they are children, enjoying childhood.  Remember how that felt?

 

 

The murmuration was just beautiful, next time I will remember to take a fully charged battery… 

 

Mx

Hoghton Tower

Yesterday was Cartmel, today was Hoghton Tower.  Another place I came across whilst researching wedding venues for BIG LOVE.  It looked pretty special and this weekend I saw they had a Farmers Market on.  

If you are looking for a place with a ‘wowsers’ entrance then this is it.  You turn into the drive, which rises up majestically to the tower.  Even on a dank day it looked quite stunning, with the beech trees lining the drive, flaming in their autumn glory. 

There was an impressive array of stalls, despite us arriving late. We came away with the most amazing looking layered pie, a cheese and onion pie, chutney and bread.  We dined on the last available burgers.  Apparently the next market is the 15th December. Before then the Snow Queen arrives.  I suspect she will be rather spectacular.

Mx

New Views

We have started work on BIG DANCE.  This weekend has been about inspiration.  Mx

Locations

I’ve been relentlessly researching wedding venues to approach to let them know about our lovely BIG letters.  Goodness, there are some crackers out there.  

Naturally we love The Midland, Morecambe, where we held our reception.  I can honestly say the staff at The Midland surpassed our expectations, which along with the sea view and stunning building we recommend it highly.  Ahh, to do it all again…

Now, the others… If we were to do it again (And The Midland didn’t exist!)  we would be checking out the following places.  New House Farm, Cumbria looks stunning.  Tucked away in a lesser known part of the Lake District, the word idyllic springs to mind, it looks perfect for small, intimate weddings, or those who want to make a whole weekend of it.

If we happened to have a large plot of land I wouldn’t hesitate to contact Papakata.  They supply the most stunning marquees – we attended a friends wedding in one a few years ago and I fell in love with the tee-pee style tent.  If you don’t happen to have a spare patch of land to hand, then they have a list of eligible places, wherever you are in the UK.  

Other places we would look at are East Riddlesden Hall, Yorkshire and Browsholme Hall and Tithe Barn, Lancashire. 

Do you know, the list could go on and on.  I suspect that as we visit more places there will be further ideas and inspiration. For now we will have to keep internet stalking them…  And remembering how magical our own wedding was.

Mx

 

Home

We went back to my parents this weekend.  I guess growing up somewhere so stunning you don’t realise how lucky I was.  Then I had kids and it all made sense.  Mx

Lessons I’ve learnt

Today we laid lovely Linda to rest.  The service her family, friends and loved ones had prepared one of the nicest funerals I have been to.  I know how strange that sounds, but I do think there can be an element of celebration at a funeral where appropriate.  Linda was such a fun, full of life person, that it would have been wrong to remember her life in any other way than a happy way.

Her family had requested we wore Linda’s ‘colours’, pinks, purples, lilacs, blues, silver.  Arriving at the crematorium with my Lakes Alive friends it was a sight to see all the pretty colours and visual reminder of her.  The crematorium was full, with people from all walks of life, and many of her friends spoke about her with such love.  There were tears, and some small moments of laughter.  I saw her friends really come together, the passing of a tissue, the gentle squeeze on the shoulder, a hug for her youngest son from his long haired teenage friends.  Mostly I felt a sense of calm, and a real feeling that Linda had left a real legacy of love behind.

Sadly I didn’t make it to the gathering afterwards, but I have already seen a video of some balloons which were released with peoples memories and wishes.  It looked stunning.  Although I couldn’t make that part I did come away in a reflective mood. Someone said ‘Linda was the kind of person who didn’t talk about doing things.  She did them and then talked about them.’  I think that is a very good philosophy to live by.

I intend to grab life by the cahoonies and run with it.  It really is far too short not to.

To lovely Linda, you will not be forgotten.

Mx

Wedding Folk

When we decided it was time to start up Typical Type I had no idea we would end up in the world of the ‘wedding folk’ quite so quickly.  We had always intended to head in that direction, but maybe not so quickly.  We got married just over a year ago and I had really immersed myself in all things weddings before it and then nothing – well other than my imaginary ‘other 15 weddings’ on Pinterest.

I had not forgotten that it can, occasionally, be a world of cliques and crazy brides with crazier mothers.  But what I had forgotten was the fact that people can be so lovely too.  There is a real camaraderie amongst some of the suppliers, often recommending one another, knowing that the another supplier might really compliment what they have to offer.  Since we first started DJ Archer photography have been amazing.  I met Lizz when the kids were doing a styled shoot for Aspire and her youngest was there too.  She is a warm, kind person and little did I realise that when we met that day she would soon be giving me help and advice for the business.  I feel so lucky to have someone who has taken the time to help.

We have had many friends spreading the word, and people we are yet to meet, like Emma from One Lump or Two? Whom I am meeting to discuss a few ideas with this week.  People from when we got married, like the lovely Butterfly Bridal and The Midland have been really encouraging.  They have done nothing but remind us why we chose them as suppliers for our own wedding and given us the benchmark for service.

The way I see it, is the world of the ‘Wedding Folk’ is a world where each person works for themselves, but they work better together.  The rest of the world ought to take a little look at how it all comes together.

Mx

Social Media

So here’s the thing.  When I went to school there were two rooms with computers in.  I think there were around 50 computers in total – 25 were dedicated to those who wanted to learn to touch type (Me – I could even type in French…) and 25 to those who wanted to learn about spreadsheets.  Being the lazy type I chose IT for one of my subjects at GCSE, so I learnt how to type.  But that was it.  I was the last in the class to learn how to touch type.  I was too lazy to proof read.  Weirdly I did pass more tests than most people, but that would be my mildly competitive side coming through.

I didn’t go to University until I was 23, but even then things like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter didn’t really play a part in every day life so again I missed out.  Then I fell off the radar, raising the kids and not really having a lot to do with computers.  So now I consider myself rather green on the whole social media front.  There are so many different things to think about. I’ve been on Facebook for years, but using it for business is different.  I think I am getting the hang of it now, but it takes time.  Lots of it.  this week I have managed to contact lots of hotels and wedding venues and luckily it is starting to pay off, the amazing PapaKata have said they are happy to recommend us, and we have some plans for a spectacular launch of a new word with them, so time well spent.

Then I have this blog and a whole new world of reciprocal blogging, thank you, by the way, Victoria Stott, who wrote a lovely piece about BIG LOVE.  I still don’t understand SEO and all the other letters which are involved in getting traffic to my website and blog, but I do love that someone took the time to write something nice about us!  I’m now in touch with a business advisor – he is studying for his diploma so we have 6 free hours and believe me we will work him for those hours…

Today we finally gave in and signed up for Twitter.  I have no idea how, but I hope to see you there – typicaltypeuk.  Come follow me and laugh a lot at my naivety.  Luckily there are some kind people guiding me through.   There’s always a reason why you meet the people you do.

Mx